Did Donald Trump Hand Angela Merkel A $374 Billion Invoice?

A new report is suggesting that US President Donald Trump handed German Chancellor Angela Merkel a NATO invoice for $374 billion.

The Times of Londonreports that one German minister called the invoice “outrageous” and noted that the intent was clear but the chancellor took the invoice “calmly and will not respond to such provocations,” the minister said.

A calculator by The Times suggests the total invoice was $312 billion for the shortfall in spending and around $62 billion in interest.

President Trump has criticized many NATO countries for failing to spend 2 percent of their GDP on defense, as they had pledged to do in 2014. Trump appears to be using 2002 as a starting point, noting that was when Merkel’s predecessor vowed to boost spending on defense.

The White House went beyond 2014, pointing to 2002 as a starting point, noting that was when Merkel’s predecessor vowed to boost spending on defense.

“The president has a very unorthodox view on NATO defense spending,” an official tells the Times.

In other words, as stated by various publications, Donald Trump has zero idea how NATO actually works.

Merkel reportedly “ignored the provocation,” because she understands how diplomacy works.